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3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

B.F.PERGUS0N.

COTTON GIN BUILDING.

Patented Feb.27, 1883.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. `B. P. FERGUSON.

aGG-IIOII GIN BUILDING. No. 273,048. Patented Peb. 27, 1883.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

B. F. FERGUSON'.

COTTON GIN BUILDING. i '.No. 273,048. Patented Feb.27, 1883.

WITNESSES INVENTOR Rrguson,

@da @40cm M l ATTORNEYS PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. FERGUSON, OF ALLEN, TEXAS.

COTTON-GIN BUILDING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 273,048, dated February 27', 1883.

Application filed June 15, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. FERGU- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allen, in the county ot`-Oollin and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Gin Buildings; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description ot' the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiieation, in which- Figure l is a vertical sectional view, showing the engine-platform,gearing-platform, ginstand platform, the tracks, ropes, and the cotton-car. Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the engine -platforin and the gearing-platform. Fig. 3 is a plan,partially in section, of the ground-tracks, hereinafter described.

This invention has relation to cotton-gin buildings; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims appended.

The objects of the invention are to secure greater protection against fire than is now obtainable by the gin-buildings in use, and to lessen the cost of handling and ginuing the cotton. The gin-building is erected upon posts orpartial walls. Ifbuilt ou posts they should be sunk a sufficient depth in the ground to give them the requisite stability, and should be sufficient in number to obtain the strength l required.

a designates a track, which is built on the ground-floor of the gin-building, and extends away from the building any desired distance. A truck, b, is built for and mounted on the track c, and on the platform c of this truck the engine for operating the several working parts is located. On, this platform c, near one end thereof, is built a cross-platform, d, which carries the gearing and the windlass c. A post having a block and tackle is erected at the outer end of the. track ct, and a rope,f, which passes over the pulley in the block, may have its ends connected to the truck b andthe drum of the windlass e, fora purpose hereinafter explained. The truck bis held in place about the center of the gin-building bybars g, resting on the treads of its Wheels and secured by stirrups h h', as shown in the drawings.

i designates the second or upper oor of the gin-building, to the under side of which the pulley-house j, carrying preferably three pulleys, j', is secured. Upon the floor t a track,

vk, ruiming at right angles to the track c, is

built, and extends outwardly from the building for some distance, and is supported at its outer end by braces Z. This track is provided with notches m for the wheels of the trucks n, which carry the gin-stands. are usually three in number, and the trucks on which they rest are coupled together, in order that they may be all removed at one operation. The lower section, o, of an inclined track intersects the track h; 'Ihe upper section, p, of the inclined track is hinged at its upper end to a horizontal track, q, above the gin-room and beneath the roof of the building, a sufficient space being left between the track g and the rootI to permit the cotton-cars to be run up the inclined track onto the horizontal track q, where their contents may be dumped upon an apron in front of the gin-stand, ready for the feeders. The cotton-cars should be covered to protect the seedcotton. One end of the upper licor of the building should be provided with a lint-room.

At the foot of the inclined track a double track with switches is laid, so that the cars can be run upon the scalesiinmediately at the foot of the inclined track and weighed, run up and dumped,and rundown and reloaded, without interfering with other cars on the double track. I also build a track for the cotton-press, which is placed at the side ot the building nearest the lint-room. The side of the press is provided with flanged wheels, so that when it is pulled over by a rope connected thereto and to the drum it may be run away from the building through the media of a ropeaud tackle attached to a stake at the outer end of its track, thereby removing it from dan ger, should the building catch fire.

The cotton-cars r are provided with an eyebolt, r', for engagement with a hookon the rope s. This rope passes over pulleys s s2, down around a pulley, s3, under the licor to the puir` ley-house, over one of its pulleys, and down to the drum, where it is provided with a hook for engagement therewith. 'lhe trucks for the gin- Y stands are also provided with eyebolts, and a The giu-stands A IOO rope, t, connected to the forward truck of the series, passes over a pulley, t', near the outer end of the notched track, back under the floor 'of the gin-room, over one ot the pulleys in the pulley-house, and down to the drum, Where it is provided with a hook for engagement therewith. When thetruckscarryingthegin-stands are run out in case ot' re they'come in contact with the upper hinged section of the inclined track and raise it automatically, and descend the lower section to the track below, and are run out of the way of danger. The last to leave the building when on lire is the truck carrying the engine and gearing. The belts should be cut that con lect the enginegearing with the gin-gearii g,'the rope connected to the truck b and to the drum, and the engine reversed to take up the rope, which,

'mounted on a track or tracks prior to my invention, and trucks of this class have been checked in position on their tracks while their surmounted mechanism Wasin operation, and I claim neither of these features, broadly.

1. In a gin-building, the track a, truck b, and cross-platforms for the engine and gearing,in combination with the bars and stirrups for securing the same in place upon the track, substantially as specited.

2. In a gin-building, the combination, with the track a and truck b, carrying the drum, of the rope and tackle for running the truck out of the building, substantially as speciied.

3. In a gin-building, the notched track upon the upper door, extending out to the inclined track, in combination with the gin-stand trucks, the inclined sectional tracks,and the rope and mechanism for operating the trucks, substantially as specified.

B. F. FERGUSON. Witnesses:

G. C. MoUNrcAsrLE, J. ELBATEs. 

